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Superintendent: Teachers to start carrying guns

The Clarksville Schools superintendent says trained teachers will start carrying guns, after a state board gave the green light for guns on campus.

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Updated: 9:55 PM CDT Sep 11, 2013

Superintendent: Teachers to start carrying guns

The Clarksville Schools superintendent says trained teachers will start carrying guns, after a state board gave the green light for guns on campus.

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Updated: 9:55 PM CDT Sep 11, 2013

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WEBVTT ARMED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM TOMORROW. THIS MOVE COMES AFTER A STATE BOARD TODAY RULED 13 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE CAN KEEP THEIR LICENSES TO ARM TEACHERS AND STAFF ON CAMPUS. 40/29's EMILY MAHER SPOKE WITH THE CLARKSVILLE SUPERINTENDENT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. SHE'S LIVE AND LOCAL TONIGHT. I JUST SPOKE WITH THE CLARKSVILLE SUPERINTENDENT WHO TELLS ME THE PLAN IS IN PLACE TO HAVE TEACHERS CARRYING GUNS TOMORROW MORNING. HE TELLS ME SIGNS WILL BE PUT UP AROUND THE SCHOOLS NOTIFYING STUDENTS, PARENTS AND VISITORS THERE ARE ARMED TEACHERS INSIDE THE DISTRICT'S SCHOOLS. David Hopkins, Clarksville Superintendent "today's meeting was full of ups and downs" CLARKSVILLE SUPERINTENDENT DAVID HOPKINS SAYS TODAY'S RULING FROM THE BOARD OF PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS AND SECURITY AGENCIES IS A COMPROMISE BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT STATE LEADERS. David Hopkins, Clarksville Superintendent "what they said is that we're not going to issue any more licenses, but the ones that we have already issued, we're going to keep them in good standing" RIGHT NOW, THE BOARD IS ALLOWING THOSE 13 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH EXISITING LICENSES TO ARM THEIR TEACHERS AND STAFF - BUT NO ADDITIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR PERMITS. David Hopkins, Clarksville Superintendent EM: "starting tomorrow there could be teachers who have been trained, armed inside the classrooms? DH: "that is correct" BUT CLARKSVILLE ALSO HAD TO COMPROMISE. THE DISTRICT WANTED TO KEEP SECRET THE IDENTITY OF TEACHERS AND STAFF TRAINED TO CARRY GUNS. BUT TODAY'S RULING SAYS THEY WILL HAVE TO WEAR SPECIAL BADGES IDENTIFYING THEM AS SECURITY GUARDS. THE DISTRICT'S SECUIRTY LICENSE IS VALID FOR TWO YEARS. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THAT MEANS TIME FOR STATE AND LOCAL LEGISLATORS TO WRITE A NEW LAW THAT WOULD ALLOW TEACHERS TO BE ARMED ON CAMPUS. David Hopkins, Clarksville Superintendent "we think they're going to craft a resolution to this issue and they will provide I legal method for schools in the future to provide security for their kids" THE CLARKSVILLE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THE DISTRICT DECIDED TO EMPLOY TEACHERS AS SECURITY GUARDS BECAUSE IT COST LESS THAN HIRING PRIVATE SECURITY. LIVE TONIGHT, EMILY MAHER, 40/29 NEWS. THE CLARKSVILLE DISTRICT'S DECISION TO ARM TEACHERS CREATED CONTROVERSY ALL SUMMER. IT WAS JULY 8TH, WHEN THE DISTRICT DECIDED TO LET CERTAIN EMPLOYEES CARRY CONCEALED WEAPONS ON CAMPUS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVID HOPKINS ANNOUNCED EACH PERSON WENT THROUGH EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FROM ARKANSAS STATE POLICE. ONLY JULY 31ST, WE ASKED ATTORNEY GENERAL DUSTIN MCDANIEL WHETHER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE TO DISCLOSE WHICH TEACHERS WOULD BE CARRYING WEAPONS. A DAY LATER, ON AUGUST FIRST, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THE ENTIRE PROGRAM DOESN'T COMPLY WITH STATE LAW. AND ON AUGUST 5TH , THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ANSWERED 40/29'S REQUEST AND ISSUED AN OPINION SAYING THE NAMES OF THE TEACHERS TRAINED TO CARRY WEAPONS SHOULD BE RELEASED TO PARENTS. ON AUGUST 6th, THE CLARKSVILLE SUPERINTENDENT SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS WRONG ABOUT THE PROGRAM VIOLATING STATE LAW AND ASKED A STATE BOARD FOR A SECOND OPINION. AND ON AUGUST 14, THE STATE BOARD SAID THE SCHOOL CANNOT ARM TEACHERS AND STAFF. AGAIN TODAY, THE STATE BOARD TODAY REVERSED IT'S EARLIER DECISION AND DECIDED SCHOOLS CAN ARM THEIR STAFF. TO SEE HOW THIS ENTIRE STORY UNFOLDED, YOU CAN CLICK THROUGH OUR SLIDESHOW ON 4029 TV DOT COM. JUST CLICK ON THE STORY ON OUR HOMEPAGE AND YOU'LL FIND THE SLIDESHOW ON THE BOTTOM LEFT OF THE SCREEN.

Superintendent: Teachers to start carrying guns

The Clarksville Schools superintendent says trained teachers will start carrying guns, after a state board gave the green light for guns on campus.